TORONTO (AP) 鈥� Jessica Campbell stood behind the visitors' bench watching that night鈥檚 opponent in warm-ups.
The Seattle Kraken assistant coach was focused on the Dallas Stars鈥� line rushes and defensemen pairs when she noticed a young girl in the stands.
鈥淛ust so excited,鈥� Campbell recalled of the face looking back through the glass. 鈥淚 locked eyes with her in that moment 鈥� it hit me that I鈥檓 looking at her and she can now see what she can become. I never had that.鈥�
The 32-year-old Campbell is the first woman to hold an on-the-bench role as an assistant or associate coach after getting hired in July following two seasons with Seattle鈥檚 top minor-league affiliate.
鈥淪tarting to really get to know the group and the team, them getting to know me,鈥� she said. 鈥淭he demands of the schedule, the vigorous push through it all, it鈥檚 just managing all that.鈥�
It鈥檚 also about managing the attention as a trailblazer.
鈥淎s I go through these moments, I don鈥檛 take it lightly, the path that I鈥檓 on and charting,鈥� said Campbell, who spoke with reporters in Montreal and Toronto this week as she marked her first NHL games in Canada. 鈥淏ut I think there鈥檚 so much to this schedule, to this job, that I can鈥檛 take any moment for granted. I never do.鈥�
Campbell, a native of Rocanville, Saskatchewan, played college hockey at Cornell, professionally in the now-defunct Canadian Women鈥檚 Hockey League and with the national team. She grew up cheering for the Canadiens and wore that iconic red, white and blue jersey 鈥� her mother, Monique, taught her how to skate 鈥� on frigid outdoor prairie ponds in southeastern Saskatchewan.
It was surreal Tuesday night as she was on the bench at Bell Center as
鈥淚 played one game at the Bell Center at the very end of my career in the CWHL and went to the Habs game right after with my parents,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t was just a full circle moment where I really felt all the emotions of what this journey has been.鈥�
Campbell has risen through the game at a lightning-quick pace.
After retiring as a player and doing a coaching stint in Sweden, she started work as a power-skating consultant when the pandemic hit. That meant NHL players in British Columbia needed ice time as the league prepared for its restart in the summer of 2020. Those sessions in the Okanagan Valley got her thinking there was a path to the NHL.
鈥淚 proved it to myself on my own as they showed up and paid for my services,鈥� Campbell said. 鈥淭hey gave me the permission to believe in this dream because I didn鈥檛 see it was possible. They allowed me to see that it was possible.鈥�
Her power-skating reputation subsequently landed her an assistant coaching role with Germany at the 2022 men鈥檚 world championship. Seattle then hired Campbell to work alongside Stanley Cup winner Dan Bylsma with the Kraken鈥檚 American Hockey League team.
When Bylsma was promoted to Seattle鈥檚 top job in May, she packed up and .
鈥淭hey鈥檝e been great, very respectful,鈥� Campbell said of the players鈥� reception. 鈥淚鈥檓 potentially more different to them than they are to me 鈥� they鈥檙e very familiar now with how I operate. I believe I鈥檓 a very approachable person and compassionate.鈥�
Her style is shaped by coaches she appreciated as a player 鈥� and those she didn鈥檛.
鈥淭he power of positivity is real,鈥� Campbell said. 鈥淓ven the top players, sometimes they don鈥檛 even know how good they are. You give affirmations to certain players and they go out and they just get rolling even more. Care about them as human beings, get to know them, how they tick, how they operate.鈥�
Campbell, who won silver for Canada at the 2015 women鈥檚 worlds and captained the 2010 under-18 team to gold, said she feels that she belongs at the highest level of hockey.
鈥淔ocus on my work and hope that success or that impact鈥檚 a good one, and it can only lead to good for others,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t keeps me grounded and it puts a lot of meaning into the work that I do. I鈥檓 part of something a lot bigger than myself.鈥�
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